More healthcare professionals available at GP practices

NHS Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have launched a campaign to highlight the extra appointments. <i>(Image: NHS Hampshire and the Isle of Wight)</i>
NHS Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have launched a campaign to highlight the extra appointments. (Image: NHS Hampshire and the Isle of Wight)
This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.

People in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight can now book more appointments with various healthcare professionals at GP practices.

It will allow patients to be seen more quickly and receive specialised care.

The appointments are not limited to GPs, but include mental health practitioners, paramedics, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians and others.

A new public information campaign, 'It Takes A Team', is being launched by NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

READ MORE: More than 5,000 people treated by mobile dental units as it expands to Basingstoke

The 12-month campaign will highlight the different specialists working within GP practices, spotlighting a different specialist role each month.

James Roach, director of primary and local care at NHS Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said: "Our GPs are working harder than ever to provide care for residents in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

"Since the pandemic, primary care has changed significantly, and GPs are working differently to meet this demand."

The number of appointments continues to rise, with almost 700,000 extra appointments delivered in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Mr Roach added: "We also have a wide range of specialists working in general practice.

"Specialists can often offer more relevant advice and support; for example, a dietician can offer ongoing nutritional help to manage a health condition, or a physiotherapist can help with rehabilitation after an arm injury."

SEE MORE: New chair appointed for NHS trust delivering services to 1.9 million people

NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight has been working closely with GP practices to increase appointment availability.

Currently, two out of five appointments take place on the same day as booking, meaning an additional 300,000 patients had a same-day appointment in 2024 compared to 2023.

Tom Bertram, local GP and clinical director at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, acknowledges the difficulties some patients have faced with changes in contacting their GP.

He said: "We understand that changes to how you can contact your GP haven’t been easy for everyone to adapt to and that there continue to be issues with some patients experiencing long waits on the phone.

"To improve this, we have been working with practices to upgrade phonelines to improve patient experience, for example by offering a callback or by informing patients of their position in the queue."

The NHS is also supporting the use of digital solutions such as video consultations and online consultation tools.

More information about the campaign and the specialist roles in local practices can be found on the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight website.

Get involved
with the news

Send your news & photos